The murder of police Captain Mohamed Abu Shakra in North Sinai near Arish on Sunday raises several question marks about the real culprits behind his death. According to preliminary police reports, Abu Shakra may have been assassinated by jihadi gunmen operating there. Abu Shakra, who served as an officer in the International Counter-Terrorism Unit of the National Security Agency, was in charge of the investigations into the kidnapping of seven soldiers in Rafah who were released on 22 May, nearly one week after their abduction. There appears to be a connection between the investigations and the ambush that awaited Abu Shakra in the middle of the populous city of Arish. “Abu Shakra was driving his car on Sunday when he saw a four-wheeler tracking him. The unknown assailants chased Abu Shakra for 20 minutes during which time he shot and injured one of them.” Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, added that the unknown gunmen then peppered Abu Shakra's car with seven automatic machine-gun rounds. He suffered seven gunshot wounds to the upper body and was pronounced dead on arrival in Arish Hospital. Most people Al-Ahram Weekly spoke to in Sinai felt there was something strange about the murder of Abu Shakra. The officer in the international anti-terrorist force in Sinai was too good at camouflage: he wore ordinary sports clothes and drove a truck. At the same time he was a skilful and experienced combatant, more than capable of taking on dangerous criminals. One source who has been following the investigations believes that the evidence is pointing to some kind of semi-organised criminal ring, although he refused to go into further detail. Another Sinai source suggests that one of Abu Shakra's attackers who was injured during the exchange of fire will provide the thread leading to the masterminds of this operation which was carefully planned. The Weekly was unable to ascertain the accuracy of this information from official sources, however, a Ministry of Interior source said that it does have good leads and that it will reveal the identities of the perpetrators soon. The source cited the minister of interior's pledge to the father of the dead officer that he would hand over to him the bodies of those responsible for his son's death. The source added, “I am certain that the martyred officer had been sold off to those who assassinated him.” The source did not believe that the Tawhid and Jihad organisation was involved in this assassination, but he did not entirely rule out this possibility. Omar Afifi, a former Egyptian officer who sought political asylum in the US under the Mubarak regime, wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday that he had been told by a security source that a Muslim Brotherhood member who was an officer with the rank of colonel in the South Sinai security directorate was behind the assassination and that the vehicle that was used in this operation was the property of a person called Sayed Al-Suweirki. Numerous Muslim Brotherhood officials denied any connection with the incident. Ahmed Sabie, an official in the Muslim Brothers' Freedom and Justice Party pointed out that there could not possibly be a Muslim Brotherhood member in the security agencies with the rank of colonel. Hossam Al-Shorbagui, a prominent Muslim Brotherhood member from Sinai was equally vehement in denying even the remotest link between the Muslim Brothers and Abu Shakra's assassination. Hatem Taha, another Muslim Brotherhood member from Arish told the Weekly that jihadists in the Sinai were speaking about Abu Shakra's connection with certain incidents that took place under the former regime, which led him to believe that the assassination was an act of revenge. Taha discarded certain comments on the part of the jihadists, which he described as provocative. However, such comments indicated that the anti-terrorist officer had been closely watched and that his plain-clothes disguise did not fool his assassins. With regard to the allegation regarding his organisation's involvement, Taha said, “It is hard for the Muslim Brothers to bear arms at any time. The Muslim Brotherhood is totally innocent of this crime.” Dr Salah Salam, head of the Arish branch of the Doctors Syndicate told the Weekly that he had learned of the assassination immediately after it occurred in Nasr Square. He said that the officer died immediately from wounds in his chest caused by seven bullets fired at close range. The doctor ruled out any possibility of a random killing in the crowded downtown area of Arish where there are so many places guarded by police.
